Redemption
by kittylover1890
Summary: My own take on Beauty & the Beast. An Enchantress strips Dr. Finitevus of his powers and strands him in Vietnam during the war as punishment for his Enerjak scheme! To get them back and come home, he must learn to care for another! FinitevusXOC. Violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Introduction- "Redemption"**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dr. Finitevus- he is owned by Sega and Archie. I wish he was mine, though…**

I admit I am reluctant to publish this story, due to some of the themes it deals with (war, torture, atrocities), but for some reason I just had to write it. Besides, there just aren't enough Finitevus stories out there!

My new story, "Redemption", is, I guess you could say, both alternate Archieverse and alternate history. It starts on Mobius, but moves to Earth (the "real world"). For the purposes of this story, Earth and Mobius are two different worlds (I believe in the comic it was said that they were the same; am I right? I only started reading them again not too long ago). This is a story inspired in part by Beauty and the Beast (the movie), but it is not really a crossover- the only character from B&TB who appears here is the Enchantress. It starts on Mobius, in the immediate aftermath of the Enerjak incident. After his escape, Dr. Finitevus comes across an Enchantress who decides to punish him for trying to destroy the world and for being so selfish and evil. She strips him of his Chaos powers, and the ability to use his Warp Rings, and sends him to Earth. To Vietnam, during the war, to be precise! Dr. Finitevus has to learn the same lessons the Beast did, to repent for his selfishness and learn to care for others and learn to love, but he does it a little differently- as noted above, his form does not change, but he doesn't have his powers. He must survive in chaotic wartime Vietnam without his powers while "doing his penance."

The "real world" is somewhat AU, too- the war itself is slightly fictionalized. Finitevus takes part in some events that actually happened during the war, such as the Tet Offensive, and witnesses others, such as the My Lai massacre, but some things about the events, such as who committed the massacre, have been fictionalized (OCs, in other words, rather than the real people; identities of real people, and the branch of military they were in, have been changed for the sake of privacy, as in much historical fiction featuring figures who are still alive, especially those who committed controversial deeds).

Further notes: As this is a war story, there will be scenes, some a bit graphic, of violence, battle, massacre, torture, and other atrocities. The My Lai massacre is one of the war's most controversial events; it is not shown here to demean the US troops, or anyone who served in Vietnam, but to be a turning point in the story. The American marines Finitevus spends the first part of the story with turn out to be no less capable of committing atrocities than the Viet Cong. They're all OCs; I have it so that my fictional Marines commit the massacre rather than the Army battalions who actually did it. It is here that Finitevus' sense of moral outrage finally awakens, and he finally starts living for someone else.

Also, OOC warning: This is a story of Finitevus becoming good, so no flames or anything when he starts acting that way! 'Kay?

(Sorry for rambling, but this Intro was needed. Sorry it was icky.)

Probably not up to my usual quality of writing, but I wanted to do it. Enjoy!


	2. Stranger in a strange land

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dr. Finitevus, but in a perfect world, I would. **

**Chapter One: Stranger in a strange land**

Da Nang, Vietnam, January, 1968

The albino echidna walked the streets of the city, every so often turning his head to take in his surroundings.

It was a strange place, wherever this was. There were humans everywhere, most of them of relatively short stature, with smooth, shining black hair, skin that was a delicate shade of tan, and dark, almond-shaped eyes. Many of them wore a wide-brimmed, conical hot that appeared to be made of leaves. They spoke a language that was unfamiliar to him, and it reminded him of the twittering of birds, in respect that it meant something to those who used the "song", but to him it was just a bunch of sounds. Most of the dark-haired humans were on foot, carrying bags or baskets. Others rode bicycles or motorcycles.

There was a second group of humans present, too; these humans, in many colors, spoke a different language entirely, and at least this one the albino echidna could understand. These humans were all men, and all wore uniforms. He listened to them, hoping to glean some information. According to the men themselves, they were the military of a place called the United States; some called it America. Was _this_ place America? It couldn't be. There were many of these men, but they were still the minority. However, if they were the military, then it had to be true, as the Enchantress had told him; there was a war going on here.

_The Americans must be here to fight in the war, then, _thought Dr. Finitevus.

Listening further to the soldiers, Finitevus picked up two names: Da Nang and Vietnam. What were they? He listened further: Da Nang was the city they were in; Vietnam, the country.

_Well, at least now I know where I am, _thought Finitevus. _But what world is this? _

Seeing the soldiers' gaze move toward him, Finitevus thought it best to move on, not wanting to draw attention to himself.

Nevertheless, he did, anyhow. As he walked the noisy, bustling streets of Da Nang, Finitevus drew curious stares. How could he fail to, looking as he did? They stared back on Mobius, too. He was the only albino echidna on Mobius; he had golden pupils set in black whites; he wore a long, ragged-edged cape that, when closed, showed the image of a star on the front. His hands and feet were wrapped in gray bandages, and around his wrists and ankles were several gold rings. These were Warp Rings, his own invention, and they allowed Finitevus to travel easily and quickly between locations, even miles apart. But, of course, they would not work now; before sending him to this place, Vietnam, the Enchantress had stripped Finitevus of his powers, even his ability to use Warp Rings. So he couldn't leave this place if he wanted to, and he did want to. He was stranded.

His stomach rumbled suddenly. He hadn't even realized he was hungry. The smells in the air included those of food. Of course, the food was foreign to him, but it would have been food just the same.

But it, too, was off-limits- Finitevus had no money to buy it with. Plus, while the Warp Rings were solid gold, he wasn't about to trade or give any of _them_ away.

Overhead, huge airplanes and odd, flying vehicles powered by rotary blades filled the air with deafening noise; noise often loud enough to drown out the din the streets. Outside town, in the far distance, he thought he could hear the sounds of fighting, gunfire and such. Having seen the weaponry carried by the soldiers, Finitevus guessed that the war technology here was somewhat primitive- certainly so compared to that of the Dark Legion, with whom he'd once been affiliated.

He smiled wryly. _Of course it would be less sophisticated than the Dark Legion's. The Legion is a technocracy- all they care about is technology. It seems this place is one as well, just less advanced._

Suddenly a horn blast shook Finitevus out of his thoughts and he quickly stepped aside as a moped zoomed by. A young woman in a purple dress was the driver. And then, equally suddenly, he was surrounded by traffic- automobiles, motorcycles, mopeds, bicycles, and an odd sort of taxi with a seat in front and a driver pedaling in the rear. Everyone was shouting at him, both in the local tongue and the soldiers'. presumably to get out of the road. Finitevus decided that this would be best- the huge truck that was coming- green, like the soldiers' uniforms, so it must be a military vehicle- would more than likely kill him if it hit Finitevus. So he darted across the street, along with a number of local women, dodging vehicles as he went.

Even if some of the shops and buildings had overhangs or awnings of sorts over their entrances or the sidewalk, the heat was brutal. The dripping humidity made Finitevus feel like he was in a jungle, not a city. He could only draw two conclusions: either this city was situated in a jungle, or the country itself was in a tropical area. Now he knew why the natives wore those wide-brimmed hats. And, at the moment, Finitevus wished he had one, too.

He paused in front of an establishment out of which poured loud music. Several soldiers sat at a long table nursing drinks. On a stage at the far rear of the room, a female human- a very young native, and nearly naked- was dancing. The soldiers were hooting and making catcalls.

Finitevus snorted. _Lechers, _he thought. _That girl can't be older than eighteen. Don't they care that there's a war going on here? They have nerve, to waste time in a place like this when surely their talents could be used elsewhere. _He paused in his thoughts and looked sad for a split second. _Tragic girl. She must be a prostitute. Doubtless the circumstances of this war forced her into that… odious line of work. _Odd, how it troubled him. Such things had never troubled Finitevus before. And he was sure she was not the only prostitute in Da Nang. Anywhere there was a war, there were always camp followers, the old saying went. Even camp followers who had no choice but to follow the camp.

In time, Finitevus' wanderings brought him to a lovely, if busy, natural harbor. The waters, although crowded with boats, were a lovely shade of blue. The sand beneath Finitevus' feet was white; he had never seen white sand before. Finitevus bent down and scooped up a handful. He stood up, looking it over, and let it slip down through his fingers. The albino echidna watched the wind blow away countless grains of sand, and he sighed. _I was told there was a war going on here, _he thought. _I wonder how many lives the winds of war have blown away here…_

When the sand was gone, Finitevus dropped his hands to his sides and simply stood on the beach, letting the wind blow through his white dreadlocks and black cape, ignoring the curious stares of native fishermen and the odd comment of a soldier. He stood, pondering the events that had ended in him being stranded in this strange new world. It was, in fact, only hours ago…..

~_Flashback_~

~Mobius~

They had stopped him. He still couldn't believe it. He had _thought_ he had taken every possibility into account… He had spent years planning it. Gone to great pains to ensure its success. Manipulated so many into trusting him- all for the sake of his master plan: the revival of Enerjak.

And it had succeeded. It _had- _for a time. Dr. Finitevus had succeeded in turning Knuckles, the Guardian of Angel Island, into Enerjak, and to ensure that no one would stop him, Finitevus had locked the Hex that brought about the transformation and allowed Finitevus to control Enerjak. And using Enerjak, Finitevus had wished to purge his world of all that corrupted it- technology, and the life that produced it. And afterward- oh, the glorious rebirth of the world as Finitevus thought it should be- no technology corrupting it, only those he deemed worthy of saving left alive- and it had almost succeeded!

But that fool, Locke, the Guardian's father… Finitevus had never expected anyone to be _willing_ to sacrifice their life to break the Hex- and Finitevus' control. But that infernal old man did it, and the Guardian was restored. Finitevus had been forced to flee afterward.

He had decided to stay out of sight for a while. He would not give up on his goal- he simply needed to think of another way to accomplish it. But apparently there were some forces he couldn't hide from….

In his search for a new base, Finitevus had come across the ruins of an ancient castle. Most of its lovely old stained glass windows were broken, but one was intact. It was the image of a human witch or fairy or enchantress, with long, curled blonde hair and wearing a crown and a green gown. Finitevus had examined it for a second, and then moved on.

And then, suddenly, from behind him, there was a sound, a woman's voice:

"_Dr. Finitevus…"_

Finitevus spun around. It was almost like someone had whispered in his ear, but there was no one there.

Odd…

Finitevus turned around and started to walk again.

"_Dr. Finitevus…"_

The voice again, clearer this time! Finitevus turned back toward the window, turning his head this way and that.

"_Dr. Finitevus…"_

This time it seemed to be blowing in the wind, surrounding him.

"Who's there?!" he demanded. "Show yourself to me, if you are brave enough!"

The voice called his name yet again, and this time it came not in the wind, but from the window!

Apprehensive but astonished, Finitevus walked back to face the window.

"Who…who are you?" asked Finitevus softly.

Then, to his immense surprise, the glass woman's eyes, which had been closed, opened, and she began to move within the window!

She was known simply as the Enchantress, and she knew of the evils he had perpetrated.

Finitevus was unconcerned. No doubt all of Mobius would soon know, if the Guardian had his way.

"_It is inexcusable," _the Enchantress had said, _"that you could even think oft taking so many innocent lives"_

"They are hardly innocent, Madame," Finitevus had retorted. "They would've destroyed the world themselves, they and their technology!"

"_Your actions have shown me that there is no love in your heart. You claim you acted in the best interests of Mobius and its people-"_

"Humph! Not all of them."

"_-yet you care nothing for any of them. It is not the planet's best interests you acted in, Doctor, but your own. You would selfishly have killed millions of innocent people for your own ends. Your own is the only life you value. Yet you have done nothing in it that makes your life worthwhile. You were once a brilliant scientist. You _did_ care, once upon a time. You were ambitious, but you had a conscience. The world is not corrupt, Dr. Finitevus. _You_ have been corrupted. Your powers- and lust for power- have corrupted you. Yes, that is what really motivated you- a lust for power. A desire not only to make the world what you thought it should be, but to rule it."_

Finitevus only scowled. How dare this woman presume to know anything about him?!

"_I've come to punish you for what you've done- for the lives you destroyed and the lives you nearly destroyed- and what you tried to do."  
_

"Punish me? You're a stained glass window. How do you think you'll punish me?" Finitevus scoffed.

Then the window began to glow. The Enchantress raised her wand, and tendrils of sparkling magic emitted from it, surrounding Finitevus and lifting him off the ground.

"What are you doing?!" he demanded.

"_I am going to strip you of your powers, to start. Afterwards, I am going to send you to a new, unfamiliar world. I am setting a task for you, Dr. Finitevus," _the Enchantress replied.

Finitevus, bewildered, fell silent.

"_You must earn your powers back. To do this, you must learn to sincerely care for another, learn to value a life other than your own. Furthermore, while the land I am sending you to is war-torn, you have a battle of your own that you must fight. You must fight to become a better person, the best person you can. As I said, you did care once- reconnect with that past self. Become that person again. These are your tasks, Doctor. And I will not return you to Mobius until you have accomplished them. You will not be able to use your Warp Rings, either. War is traumatic, even to those who only observe it. Fighting, atrocities, the loss of comrades and friends- these things can all scar the psyche, sear the heart and the soul. But they can also awaken the conscience and inner goodness in the most selfish and evil hearts. You will experience all of the things I have named. When your 'tour of duty' ends, we will _see_ if you haven't changed. Perhaps if you share the suffering of the people, soldier and civilian alike, you will understand the suffering you brought upon your fellow Mobians. And perhaps, if you can see the beauty of the land behind the violence the engulfs it, you will see or find things- common to both worlds- worth seeing and valuing in your own. Open your heart to the world, its people, and its suffering; only then will you begin to understand."_

Finitevus had protested more, but it had fallen on deaf ears. The Enchantress had spoken her spell; Finitevus had felt the powers leaving him; his eyes had filled with light; and when it died away…

_~End Flashback~_

He had been here, in Da Nang. In Vietnam, a war-torn land…somewhere in this brand-new world.

_I must learn to care for another, _he thought. Then he scoffed. Who in _this_ strange place would be worth caring for? He hated the Enchantress, hated her "punishment", and thus fat hadn't seen anything he liked about Vietnam, either.

He wasn't worried. He was Doctor Finitevus. There had to be another way back to Mobius, and he would find it. And when he did, that "Enchantress" would pay…after he forced her to give him his powers back.

Finitevus shook his head. This strange place, these strange people, natives and foreign soldiers alike- he sincerely doubted that either of them would ever be worth anything or mean anything to him. He had always done well alone, only relying on others when they were useful. He had so far seen nothing and no one that would be of any use to him. Therefore, why should Finitevus waste his time getting to know any of it?

As he was about to head back into town, he heard another voice behind him.

"Hey, there."

He turned to see one of the American soldiers looking down at him. The young man was smiling, but his eyes were full of questions.

"Where'd _you_ come from?"

Finitevus just looked back up at him, not echoing his smile, but returning his questioning look.

**And there you have it- chapter one! Hope it was all right- sorry it was a little dull. Had to establish the setting and explain some things. I know the Enchantress in B&TB didn't move in the window in the prologue, but she needed to move here. I'll have chapter two up after I get some reviews. What do you think so far? R&R! No flames! See you soon!**


	3. Marines

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dr. Finitevus, only my OCs, more of whom are introduced here (although one of them is based on a character I love.) **

**Chapter Two: Marines**

Dr. Finitevus studied the human before him. He was young, barely if at all out of his teens, and wearing clothes which were all a drab green color. Around his waist was a belt from which hung several pouches. He carried a heavy-looking rucksack on his back. Over his shoulder was slung a firearm of some sort. Under the cloth-covered steel helmet, to which was attached an open box of cigarettes (held on by a black strap) was sweaty blonde hair. Eyes the color of the sky met Finitevus' golden eyes.

"I don't think I've seen anyone like you around here before," said the young man. "Um… Are you Vietnamese? Do you speak English? Ah… Do they have a costume holiday here too? 'Cause, in the States, we have this thing called Halloween, and-"

"You seem awfully young to be fighting in a war," said Finitevus. "You look like you should still be in school."

"Oh, you _do_ speak English! Great! But, nope- I'm not in school anymore. I graduated last year. Name's Patrick O'Brien, Private First Class, United States Marine Corps." The young man saluted Finitevus crisply.

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen, sir."

"Young, as I thought. So you joined the…Marines, was it, right out of high school?" Finitevus went on.

"Yessir!" Patrick replied with a smile.

"But you are so young, Private. Why rush off to war like that? It's a waste. You could be killed any day. You have your life ahead of you. Perhaps you could have been a brilliant scientist."

"Maybe, but the men of my family have always gone into the military after high school. Family tradition, you see."

Finitevus shook his head. "What a waste, to risk your life for others like this. How do you even know these people are grateful for your country's help?"

"They must be. They haven't kicked us out yet. Truth is, the States keeps sendin' more and more guys over here." said Private O'Brien.

"I doubt they would 'kick you out' as long as their enemy was still at large," said Finitevus. "Tell me, Private. What-?"

"Uh, 'scuse me, but, uh, d'you mind if I ask _you_ a question this time?"

Finitevus didn't reply, but he did nod his head curtly.

"Well, we've been talking about me for the past ten minutes, and I don't even know your name. What _is_ your name?"

"Fair enough," said the albino echidna with a sigh. "It's Finitevus. Doctor Finitevus."

"Fini…Finitevus, eh? Well, that ain't Vietnamese, that's for sure. Where ya from?"

"That doesn't matter right now. Just know that this world, whatever it's called, is foreign to me. As for that 'costume' bit earlier, I assure you that what you see is my true appearance."

"'This world is foreign'? Then you must be an alien!" O'Brien said.

"I am not from this world, no," said Finitevus calmly.

"Well, then, welcome to Earth."

"That's this planet's name? Earth?"

"Yeah. But, if I may, of all the places to land, why pick Vietnam? There's a war going on here, y'know."

"I know; I could tell by all the soldiers I've seen in this city. But…I had little choice as to where I would be 'landing', as you say. I did not come here in any sort of craft. The Enchantress sent me here. Believe me, if I had to be exiled to this world, I would not have chosen a war zone." Finitevus told O'Brien.

"An Enchantress? Whoa! What'd you do? You piss her off or something?" O'Brien asked. "Are you alone? Are there any more…uhh…what're your people called?"

"Echidnas. Mobian Echidnas. No, I am here alone. Even on my own planet, there aren't many of us left."

"Really? That sucks." O'Brien studied Finitevus. "You're not carrying any weapons I can see. Well, unless you got a ray beam or something hidden in your belt or your gloves."

"No. I carry no weapons, none like yours, at any rate. I abhor technology, Private O'Brien. It is like an insidious disease, corrupting my world, Mobius. I was once very powerful. I could tap into the Chaos Force, use Chaos energy for my own means. Chaos energy is the most potent power on Mobius; it occurs naturally in stones called Chaos Emeralds, and some people have the inborn ability to call upon it; if one has a strong enough connection to the Chaos Force which is the embodiment of all Chaos energy, they can destroy the world- or save it. A connection to the Chaos Force allows one to call upon and use Chaos powers, which are derived from the energy itself. I had such a connection. I could even use it to warp around my world, quickly and easily, using these gold rings I wear. My own invention- Warp Rings. My powers- Chaos energy- powered them."

"You're an inventor? Awesome! But you can't use 'em? You know, to get home? Why not?"

Finitevus sighed angrily. "Because, that infernal Enchantress stripped me of my powers, my connection to the Chaos Force, before sending me here."

"Yowtch. But…what'd you _do_? The Enchantress must've thought it was awful, to ship you off to 'Nam."

"You already know how I hate technology."

"Yeah."

"I used my Chaos powers to turn someone into an omnipotent demigod of Chaos energy called Enerjak. Controlling him, I tried to purge my world of the contagion that was technology. But I was stopped, my spell was broken, and I escaped, and just hours ago, I found the Enchantress by accident, and she sent me here," said Finitevus. "I'm telling you, Private, I _was_ acting in my world's best interests; you have no idea how disgustingly dependent the people of Mobius are on technology. And much of that technology was dangerous. War machines. I intended to purge my world of that dangerous technology- and those who wielded it, those who were destroying and corrupting the planet."

"Well, obviously there were some who didn't agree with that, cuz you got sent here. That _is_ why you got sent to 'Nam, isn't it? The Enchantress thought you were doing something wrong?"

"Yes, I suppose so."

"Poor little guy. You're stranded on an alien planet, in a war-torn country, all alone, and with no way to defend yourself."

"That is my situation, essentially," said Finitevus, turning away from the young Marine.

"Jesus. That sucks so bad, man. Punished for tryin' to save your world. Tell you what- I can't just leave you here without any protection. You can't go anywhere outside the city without getting jumped by the Viet Cong. Especially in the jungles. And this country is, like, almost all jungle, 'cept for some cities, villages, and rice fields. Let's go talk to my buddies. I'm in town with a bunch of people from my platoon, and they're all at this bar we like. I'll talk to Scarface, the sergeant. If I can get him to let you stick with us, you won't be unprotected. I'll see if I can hook you up with an M16, too. How's that sound?"

Finitevus' back was still turned to O'Brien. Even if he was without his powers, Finitevus was still a master manipulator. As soon as he reached this war zone, he realized that he would need protection of some sort. Now he would have a whole platoon of soldiers to protect him, including this gullible young man, if O'Brien's 'negotiations' with the other Marines went well. This protected, Finitevus could focus on finding a way back to Mobius.

He turned back to O'Brien, a smile on his face. "You would do that for me?"

"Sure! One thing you'll learn over here; we may be fighting for the South Vietnamese, but first and foremost we look out for each other." said O'Brien.

Now O'Brien motioned for Finitevus to follow him back into Da Nang.

Some gesture of thanks was called for. "I appreciate this, Private," said Finitevus. Coming from Finitevus, of course, it meant little, but he had to secure this man's friendship- his loyalty, in reality- if this plan was going to work.

"Call me Patrick, buddy," the young Marine called over his shoulder. "If we're gonna be comrades in arms, you may as well, right? What about you, Doc Fin? You got a first name?"

"No. I am just Dr. Finitevus."

"Really? That's a little odd. But I still gotta call you somethin'! Mind if I call you Fin for short?"

He did mind, in fact, but since this Marine was (hopefully) going to protect him, Finitevus decided to put up with this small indignity.

"I prefer my full name, but if that is easier for you to remember, then, by all means," replied Finitevus.

"All right, then! C'mon, Fin- the bar's not far."

Patrick's questions didn't let up as they walked the streets of Da Nang, headed for the bar.

"So, Fin, what about your family? Are you married? What town did you come from?"

Finitevus hid his irritation at Patrick's nosiness, since he knew Patrick would naturally be curious for details about an "alien" culture. Finitevus himself was equally curious about Patrick's world as well, but now was not the time to get inquisitive; he had to secure this man's services first.

"No, Patrick, I'm not married. I have no family, and the city I hailed from, Albion, is a heap of ruins," Finitevus replied.

"Oh," said Patrick softly. "Is there a war on your planet, too?"

"There has been an ongoing war against the tyrant known variously as Dr. Robotnik and Dr. Eggman for the past fifteen years," replied Finitevus. "His Egg Fleet, like a flying navy, or an air force, destroyed Albion. He uses much technology in his evil schemes."

"Oooooh, so that's why you hate it. I understand. Okay. I get it- it still hurts to talk about it. I won't bring it up again unless you wanna talk about it. I totally understand, pal," said Patrick, looking sadly at the albino echidna. "I've seen my share of ruined towns and villages here, so I do understand."

What Finitevus did not say was that he was responsible for leading the Egg Fleet to Albion. It was Finitevus, and not Eggman, who actually destroyed the echidna city. He had even destroyed the city's defenses to make it easier for the Egg Fleet to invade. It was Finitevus' evil that led to the destruction of the "technological cesspool" that was Albion. This was his revenge for their decision to euthanize him. But Patrick didn't need to know any of that.

"Welp, here were are, pal," said Patrick, stopping in front of a garishly lit bar. Inside, several voices shouting and catcalling in English could be heard over the music. "Everybody loves this place. They have the prettiest girls in all of Da Nang. Ain't cheap, though."

"That's all right, Patrick. I have no money as it is," said Finitevus.

"Really? Listen- I know the heat is fuckin' murder here. You thirsty? I'll buy you a beer," Patrick offered. "The beer's cheap. The girls ain't!"

"No, thank you, Patrick. Water will be fine."

"Eeeww, I wouldn't drink the water here, pal. Food and drink here in 'Nam ain't very clean, y'know."

"Sanitation is a problem?"

"You can say that again, bud!" Patrick laughed.

"Not surprising. Standards of sanitation often fall during a war."

Patrick kept talking- something about the locals using their own feces to fertilize the rice fields- but Finitevus was hardly paying any attention; he was studying the other Marines clustered near the stage in the rear of the bar.

"So how 'bout it, Fin? Wanna beer or what?" asked Patrick.

"Well, if you say the water here isn't potable, then yes, one beer. But not a strong one. I only wish to quench my thirst and cool down a bit, not get drunk," Finitevus replied.

A moment later Patrick placed a cold, open beer bottle in Finitevus' hands. "There ya go, buddy. Enjoy! It's the real deal, real American stuff. The guys tell me, always insist on the genuine American stuff; the local stuff is piss in a bottle compared to this. Well, bottoms up!" Patrick tilted his head back, emptying his bottle in one go. Afterward he slammed the bottle down hard on the counter, and belched loudly. Finitevus didn't bother hiding his look of disgust. "Oh. Sorry. Well, beer makes you burp, Fin," said Patrick. "Haven't you had beer before?"

"I have, but I do not drink regularly," said Finitevus flatly, taking a sip of his beer. He didn't care much for the taste, but it was cold, and refreshing, in this dripping humidity. The jungles on Angel Island were hot, but even they weren't _this_ humid. "Patrick, I take it you are not very fond of the locals. You waste little time in disparaging them and their cuisine."

"Yeah, well…" Patrick trailed off. "A lotta the guys feel that way. You'll understand in time."

Finitevus doubted it. But then he tended to disparage everyone except himself, regardless of what people they belonged to.

"Hey, Linebacker Boy!" a voice called from the rear of the room. "Where ya been, man? Your favorite girl just danced for us! You missed her!" It was a man with the darkest skin Finitevus had yet seen in this new world.

"Hey, Sam!" Patrick called back. "Sam Dalton, Private First Class, like me! One a' my best buds! C'mon, Fin- come meet the guys!"

Somewhat apprehensively, Finitevus followed Patrick into the rear of the bar, approaching the other Marines, many of whom were obviously drunk.

One of them leaned back on his stool and saw Finitevus there.

"What is _that_?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Several other Marines also looked and echoed the question.

"Aw, give 'im a break, guys! I know he looks different, but he's marooned here, just like the rest of us!" Patrick said.

"Who _are_ you?" one of the sober men asked.

"Never mind _who_ he is, ask _what_ he is," another man, this one with a surly expression and a strange, drawling accent, added.

Finitevus ignored the insult. "My name is Dr. Finitevus," the albino echidna explained. "I met your comrade here on the beach."

Finitevus ended up having to tell his story again before any of the Marines would introduce themselves.

Most of them, once they got over their initial surprise at Finitevus' extraterrestrial origin and unusual appearance, gave him a friendly greeting. The Marines at the bar were:

Gunnery Sergeant Steve Malone, nicknamed "Scarface" for his prominent facial scar, along with several Privates, called:

Sam Dalton, Private First Class, the dark-skinned man who'd called to Patrick;

Big, burly, muscular, but friendly Mario Annunziato, whom everyone called "Meat", another Private First Class;

Lance Corporal Danny Fenton, trained as a sniper and called "Ghost";

Finally there was Private Mike Glasser, the man with the accent, whose nickname was "Trigs", from his love of guns, his hair-trigger temper, and his itchy trigger finger; the distinctly hostile look he gave Finitevus made the echidna the vaguest bit uncomfortable, but he dared not show it.

"So, Fin, what do you think of 'Nam so far?" asked Scarface.

"Truthfully, hot, overly humid, somewhat strange, and not a little disconcerting," Finitevus replied, glancing for the briefest of times over at Glasser, who glared back.

"Join the club!" Scarface roared with laughter. The other Marines joined in.

"Still, I am not sure what this war is about. Would you all mind briefing me on the situation? I am newly arrived, as you know." said Finitevus.

"Sure. Basically, Vietnam is divided into two countries: the communist North, which is a dictatorship, and the democratic South. This is the South. We're here to help prevent the Communists from the North from taking over the South. That's it in a nutshell." said Ghost.

The Marines also had to explain Communism, an idea that didn't exist on Mobius. (He didn't know it, but Finitevus got the standard Cold War-era American definition of Communism, hence Ghost's description of North Vietnam as a dictatorship.)

"I heard somewhere that, in theory, Communism could work," said Patrick. "But every time it's put into practice, all the power ends up in the hands of one man, which is supposedly not how it's supposed to be."

"Who is the leader of the North?" asked Finitevus.

"Guy called Ho Chi Minh," Meat replied.

"Has it been difficult?"

"Oh, yeah," all the Marines chorused, even Glasser.

"The Viet Cong- they hide in the jungles and attack us. We try to fight back, and sometimes we even get a couple of 'em, but most of the time we can't even find or see the bastards," growled Scarface.

"The Viet Cong- they are the North's army, then?"

"Not the official one, no. There is an official one, the NVA, the North Vietnamese Army; the Viet Cong are the Commie guerillas who support 'em and fight for 'em down here. Doesn't help that the VC have supporters everywhere, in just about every village. I swear, they must; we go through a village, right? Asking them if they've seen any VC in the area, if they know where any of 'em are hiding, and they say no. But the second we leave the village, BOOM- we get attacked. Happens all the time. I swear the locals are all in cahoots with 'em," Scarface went on. "I've been here for two years, and I've seen it happen so many times…"

"Yes…guerilla tactics can be highly successful, especially in a densely wooded place, and especially if that place is unfamiliar to the enemy…" Finitevus mused, a hand on his chin. "How is the war itself going for you?"

"So far, you mean?" Patrick answered. "Well, we haven't lost a major battle yet, even if this war is far from over yet, we're looking forward to the New Year, Tet- there's always a ceasefire on Tet. A little peace will be nice."

"The New Year?"

"Yeah, the Vietnamese New Year."

"Do the VC always honor the ceasefire?"

"They have so far."

"Hmm. It seems to me then that that would be the ideal time for them to attack, while everyone is celebrating. You Americans would be at ease, since it appears you trust the North to honor the ceasefire. The native soldiers- I've seen many local men in uniform as well- will all be home celebrating with their families. No one would suspect an attack then. I cannot be certain this will ever happen, but I recommend that you prepare for it, in case it does happen," said Finitevus.

"Really, Fin? You think they'd pull that?" Patrick asked.

"Well, were I them, that's what I would do- attack when my enemies least expect an attack. Catch them off guard."

The Marines spoke softly between themselves, nodding. "Makes sense," they said. "The idea is scary as hell, but it makes sense."

"Yeah, considering we ain't that far from the DMZ, it wouldn't be hard for 'em to take Da Nang," Scarface said, half to himself.

"There is a demilitarized zone?" asked Finitevus.

"Yeah, between North and South. 17th Parallel. Da Nang's not even a hundred miles from it," said Sam.

"In that case, no, it would likely not be a difficult endeavor," said Finitevus thoughtfully.

In the end, Scarface was sufficiently impressed by Finitevus' rapid grasping of the situation- "Faster than you'd think an extraterrestrial would," he'd said- to allow the albino echidna to unofficially join the group.

"We'll take you to the big base just outside town," said Scarface. "We'll show you around and you can meet more of the guys. I hope your brain isn't too fried by the heat- you'll have a lot to take in."

"But we're not due back for a few hours, so just have a seat," Patrick lifted Finitevus onto a stool at the end of the long stage-front table, "make yourself at home, and enjoy the show! I'll get you another beer when you're done with that one."

A new girl came onto the stage, wearing a dazzling sequined bikini. As she began to dance, the young Vietnamese woman moved her gaze down the line of men. When her eyes settled on Dr. Finitevus, she almost stumbled.

He was smiling at her, looking at her. His face sent a shudder down her spine.

Finitevus' eyes may have been on the girl, but his mind was not. So far, everything was working out well; he had found protectors who would fight if he- and they- were attacked. He was no longer defenseless. That, indeed, was a reason to smile.

As for the girl, the lecherous looks on the faces of the Marines she could stand; she saw those every day, every night; but those gold-and-black eyes on that odd creature- something about _those_ eyes frightened her more than the idea of an NVA or VC attack on Da Nang. She quickly scooped up the money tossed at her by the Marines and hurried off the stage.

Two hours later, Patrick, Scarface, Trigs, Sam, Ghost, Meat, and Dr. Finitevus left for the massive base outside Da Nang.

**Well, there you have it, chapter two! Patrick shares the views about food in Vietnam that many American troops had during the war. And yes, Ghost is named for Danny Phantom- he even looks like an adult version of Danny. It's my little homage to DP. :D Anyways, hope you liked- please, please read and review! No flames! See you next time!**


	4. Patrick

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dr. Finitevus; Archie comics does. In a fair world, however…**

**Also: some strong language ahead. **

**Patrick -for "Redemption", Chapter 3**

Da Nang Air Force Base, a week later

Finitevus wasn't fond of guns, or war technology, or technology period, but right then he was helping Patrick clean his gun.

"Hey, Fin," said Patrick suddenly. "You got a girl back home?"

The question took Finitevus by surprise. "Excuse me?"

"A girl, I said. You got a girlfriend back in… what was it again, Mobius?"

"A girlfriend? No," Finitevus replied.

"You gonna try for one of the local girls? A lotta the guys have girlfriends in Da Nang." said Patrick.

Finitevus calmly kept polishing the barrel of the M16 rifle. "I doubt it. Firstly I have no interest in such things, and secondly I don't think they would find me very attractive. I am not even the same species as they are."

Patrick shrugged off Finitevus' coldness. "Aw, c'mon, Fin! Don't sell yourself short! You never know until ya try! Doesn't have to be with girls, either. I mean, with anything! My dad always told me that you might be disappointed if you fail, but you're doomed if you don't try. Tell you what- next time me and some of the guys go to Da Nang, we'll take you with us. Go to one of those bars. See if we can get you a girl. How's that sound?"

Finitevus sighed, hiding his impatience. "You would be wasting your time, Patrick. I doubt your species would have any sexual attraction to mine. My own people consider me essentially a mutant. I'm sure human women would feel the same." Nevertheless, he did appreciate Patrick's encouragement. And it was true- he would be doomed if he didn't try to find a way home. There had to be another way, somewhere- he had no intention of staying in this war zone for the rest of his life- assuming his life lasted that long.

Suddenly there was a commotion from the rear of the base, close to the airstrip and the jungle. Gunfire and men shouting- both in English and Vietnamese.

"What's going on?" asked Finitevus.

"There's VC in the jungle again! I need my gun!" Patrick replied. He took it from Finitevus and loaded it as fast as he could, snapping the new cartridge in place. Then he ran off toward the sound of the fighting. "Hang on, guys! I'm coming!"

"Wait for me!" Finitevus called, running to join him.

"Fin, what're you doing?" Patrick asked. "You can't fight- you don't have a gun!"

"I have the knife you gave me- that is a weapon, as well, isn't it? Besides, the sooner we're rid of these VC, the better." Finitevus replied.

Patrick grinned. He was cracking Fin- cracking that ice-shield he seemed to have around himself. He was probably just being that way so he wouldn't make friends- friends he'd miss when he went home. But in this kind of situation, a war, friends were like medicine- they helped you cope and feel better even when real medicine did nothing. Patrick determined to become Finitevus' friend, whether the echidna liked it or not.

Several marines were already there when Patrick and Finitevus reached the edge of the jungle behind the airstrip. With them were about a dozen VC men with guns. There were more in the jungle. Bullets filled the air like gnats. When a VC grunt ran at Patrick, Finitevus instinctively gave the VC a slash with his knife. The man yelled out in pain, and Finitevus used this distraction to knock the gun from the man's hands. Patrick socked him in the face, knocking him down- and out.

Patrick grinned at Finitevus. "Thanks, Fin!"

Finitevus smiled back. "You're welcome. But this isn't over yet."

"You're damn right it ain't!" said Patrick.

Suddenly there was the whine of airplane engines above them; a huge plane dropping a flaming orange liquid passed over the jungle. When the liquid hit the jungle, it exploded into a massive fireball.

Patrick turned and ran back toward the base. "Run, Fin! Run!" he yelled.

Finitevus hurried to keep up with him. "What is that?" he yelled over the noise of the explosion and fire. He could feel the intense heat under his white fur, even at distance.

"Napalm!" replied Patrick. "We usually drop it on the jungle to clear it, so the VC can't hide in it! But we also use it to drop right on 'em sometimes! The stuff burns at over 2,000 Fahrenheit! You don't wanna be anywhere near that stuff, Fin! It makes a great weapon, but you don't wanna be stuck outside when it starts raining napalm!"

Suddenly from behind them came a loud, whistling noise, coming at them fast.

"Fin! Watch out!" Patrick grabbed Finitevus and threw them both to the ground, covering their heads with his strong arms. A rocket sailed over their heads and landed twenty feet away, sending a shower of debris down on them.

"Great- now they're shooting rockets at us!" Patrick griped. "You'd think they'd take a hint, with the effin' napalm!" He got up and pulled Finitevus to his feet. "Keep going!" he said.

No one needed to tell Dr. Finitevus twice.

Even when they reached the base building again, Finitevus felt the heat on his back. None of the flaming liquid had touched him, but he felt fairly sure he had at least some minor burns on his back.

"You all right, Fin?" asked Patrick when they entered the building.

"I think so, save for some possible first-degree burns," Finitevus replied.

"You got off easy. That stuff sticks to you if it lands on you and burns like hell. Still, thanks for the hand back there. You saved my ass. I owe ya one, buddy."

"Don't mention it," Finitevus said. "And… thank you. For saving mine." He smiled. "I owe you one, as well."

"Nah. We're buddies, Fin. It's what buddies do." said Patrick.

It was odd, very odd indeed; it actually felt good to hear someone call Finitevus his friend. It had been who knew how long since he'd had one. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad after all- to befriend one of the humans here. Finitevus decided that he wouldn't be so cold to Patrick anymore- after all, Patrick had been nothing if not kind to him since they met. And after all, it was Patrick who'd found him in Da Nang and taken Finitevus under his wing, in spite of their being complete strangers and the other Marines' suspicions about him. Perhaps it was time to show some long-overdue gratitude.

"Patrick, I may not be in the market for a girlfriend, but I appreciate your offer of a trip into town. I-"

Finitevus suddenly became aware of a loud whistling noise outside, growing louder and louder by the spilt second. He realized instantly and with horror what it was. He grabbed Patrick and threw him down. "Patrick! Get down!" he yelled. The whistling was deafening… "It's a-"

Sound rushed in his ears, the earth seemed to explode around him, and everything went black.

He heard voices calling to him through the black void he was lost in.

"Fin! Fin! Wake up, man!"

In his aching brain Finitevus couldn't pick out who it was.

"C'mon, Fin! Open your eyes!" Now it was a new voice.

It was the last thing Finitevus wanted to do- all he wanted was to sleep- but he forced his black-and-gold eyes open. The sunlight streaming in seemed to burn them. He closed them again, but stayed awake.

"Jesus Christ, Fin, you are one lucky bastard!" It was Scarface, the gunnery sergeant of the company. He was grinning at Finitevus. "You both are!"

Beside him, to Finitevus' relief, stood Patrick, also smiling. His arm was in a sling, and he had a bloody bandage wrapped around his head.

"Hi, Fin." said Patrick. "You all right?"

Scarface laughed. "Fucking unbelievable, that's what it is! You guys practically take a direct hit from a rocket and all you guys come out of it with is a sprained arm and gashes on your foreheads! I still can't fucking believe it!"

Several other Marines joined them at Finitevus' bedside.

"Hey, there, Fin. How ya feelin', man?" asked Sam,

"My head aches, my back hurts, and light hurts my eyes- I've had better days. But thank you for asking, Sam." Finitevus replied. "Was anyone else hurt?"

"Coup'la guys. One of 'em's in pretty bad shape, so we're sending him to the hospital in Saigon. The other guy has a broken arm, otherwise no other injuries. What a relief, huh?" Patrick said. "Thanks again, buddy. You saved my life again."

"Yeah. Linebacker Boy here says you heard the rocket coming and threw him down and tried to protect him under your own body," said Joe, one of the corpsmen. "You took the worst of the hit- a lotta debris fell on you, even metal beams. I treated your wounds, and I gotta say, after that kinda hit, I expected you'd be in way worse shape, even dead. I agree with Scarface- you were lucky today, Dr. Finitevus. Seems you're made of stronger stuff than the guys give you credit for."

The albino echidna smiled at the compliment, then looked at his friend. "Are you all right, Patrick?"

Patrick touched his bandaged head. "Oh, yeah. I played football back in the States. I've had my bell rung worse than this. I'll be fine. I'm just glad you're okay. Everybody will be, once I spread the word. Think you'll be up to a few dozen visitors?"

Everyone, even Finitevus, laughed.

"Yeah, man," said Sam. "You're a hero. They ain't gonna leave you alone for the rest of the week."

"Yeah," said Scarface. "We Marines treat heroes like heroes. So! Any particular treat you'd like from the mess hall today? Ice cream or chocolate maybe? I can pull some strings."

"Something to drink would be nice," Finitevus replied. "My throat is very dry."

"I bet. There was a ton of dust in the air after the rocket hit, and your mouth was slightly open when I found you. I'll get you some water."

"Aw, c'mon, Joe! He's a hero! Give him something stronger, will ya?" Scarface teased.

"No, not now. He needs to heal first. Then you can ask him if he wants anything stronger." Joe replied as he walked away.

"Joe was a doctor before coming over here. We all think he's nuts 'cuz he came over here voluntarily, but he's a good guy." said Meat, another Marine. He was tall and very muscular, hence his nickname.

"And now we know you're a good guy, too," Sam added. "You may not be an official Marine, Fin, but we're glad to have you with us. It's good to know someone'll be watchin' our backs."

Joe returned just then. "All, right, guys, he needs his rest. You can come back later."

"Aww, you suck, Joe," the other men said teasingly. They were smiling, so they had meant it as a joke. "See you later, Fin," they called.

"Thanks again, pal," Patrick added.

Once the men were gone, Joe handed Finitevus his glasses and a glass of water.

"Funny," said Finitevus, "I was able to tell who was who without my glasses."

"You know, Dr. Finitevus, I was thinking. If you don't mind, I'd like to train you in field medicine. I already know you have the capacity to save one life, and I think you could easily save many lives, with proper training. When we're done, I'll give you a bag of supplies to carry with you." said Joe. "How does that sound?"

Finitevus thought it over for a bit. He did feel an odd need to be useful to these marines somehow- he felt he owed them this. They had taken him in and saved his life, after all. And this was one way he could do that.

"All right, Joe. I feel I need to be useful around here somehow, and I'd rather carry a medical bag than a gun. But just so you know, I have no medical background- I am a scientist, not a doctor. So rudimentary training as a doctor may be necessary. Is that all right?" asked Finitevus. It wasn't entirely the truth; after all, he had been a medical officer in the Dark Legion. But he knew little of the medicine of this world; perhaps it would be useful somehow, someday. Besides, it just sounded intriguing to Finitevus.

"Of course. It's not hospital work, it's field medicine. If there's a major emergency you just call for a medevac helicopter. But I'll teach you how to administer morphine, like you had when you had that shrapnel in your leg, and how to sew up wounds and remove bullets and shrapnel. Things like that. Basic field medicine. We'll start when you're healed a little more."

"Very well," said Finitevus, with a smile. "I look forward to it."

It was another four days before Joe allowed Finitevus to leave the sickbay, despite the fact that his injuries weren't severe. Finitevus hadn't seen Patrick in a few days, so he decided to go to his barracks and check up on him. It still surprised him, how he'd gotten so attached to these humans so fast. What was wrong with him? They were starting to feel less like useful pawns, mere bodyguards, and more like friends. Maybe it was the fact that they seemed to genuinely care what happened to him- just look at Joe fussing over him. And now he was teaching Finitevus field medicine. And Patrick- where could Finitevus even begin to start with _that_ young human? He couldn't for the life of him understand his determination to become Finitevus' friend. He couldn't understand how these men, who were complete strangers before enlisting or being drafted back in their country, could be so loyal to each other here. He couldn't understand how they could be so willing to risk- or even give- their lives for each other. These concepts eluded Finitevus; he had lived for himself alone for so long; was this what it was like, to live for someone else? To care so deeply about someone else that you would gladly die for them? He didn't know, and for the moment, he didn't really care. These humans were odd creatures at any rate. Still, if he was going to be stuck there for a while, he may as well make an attempt to understand them.

When Finitevus entered the barracks, he saw Patrick sitting on his bed, writing something. Smiling, Finitevus started walking toward the young man, when another man- Sam- called Patrick away just as Finitevus opened his mouth to call out a greeting. Patrick put his writing down and followed Sam out. Otherwise the barracks were empty.

Curious, Finitevus approached the bed and saw the letter laying on it. That's what it was- a letter. To his mother, it looked like. Beneath it was another paper, another letter, this one addressed to a woman named Vanessa. That had to be Patrick's girlfriend back in the States. This one hadn't been written beyond "Dear Vanessa…" Finitevus took the letter to Patrick's mother in his hands and began to read it. It was dated January 23, 1968, that very day:

_Dear Mom_ [Finitevus read]:

_Forgive me for not writing in so long- they have us doing daily patrols around the base, as they have since we got to the base. Still, it's nice to be stationed here instead of humping the boonies. I _hate_ trekking through the jungle. Bugs, diseases, snipers, VC- I just hate it. _

_Speaking of the VC, they actually tried to attack the base last week! I was outside with my new friend Dr. Finitevus when the VC charged out of the jungle and attacked us! We dropped some napalm on them, but they shot rockets at the base. One of them hit right near where Fin and I were, hit the building where we were standing. We'd run back to the base itself as the napalm was coming down, and then this rocket hit the building right after we got in! Don't worry, Mom- I was hurt, but not badly; Fin saw to that. He threw me down and shielded me with his own body as the debris was coming down on top of us. Even if he is smaller than me, he still did it- he saved my life. Fin is usually as cold as Antarctica, but I know he's got a heart in there somewhere- he must, if he would just do that for me without a second thought. He was hurt, too, but Joe says he's mending well. Fin's hard to get close to, very reserved; but I'm determined to be his friend - he's all alone in the world, and everybody needs someone they can rely on, especially in a war. He's a good soldier too- he saved me twice that day, not just with the rocket- he stopped a VC from killing me. I _know _he's really kinder than he seems- to some he comes off as a villainous type, maybe cause of his eyes, I don't know, but I know that, despite his odd appearance, and hid coldness, I'm betting he's really a better man on the inside than I'll ever be. Glowing praise for a guy I basically just met, I know, but Mom, the guy saved my life, twice- I feel I have to give him a chance. I'll tell you more about him in my next letter, and I'll try to send a picture, too, if he lets me take one of him, but I warn you, it'll all seem a little far fetched. _

_The guys constantly complain about not being able to find the VC; but I did, one of them- a few days before I met Fin, I was doing a village sweep on my own, and along comes Chuck, holding a rifle, just strolling along, like all is right with the world, until he sees me. Now it's a race against time to see if he can get off the road before I draw my gun and shoot (he won). And then there was this time where four VC snipers decided to take on the battalion, and we had all this extra ammo, dead weight, they we just let go on them. We threw everything but the Mississippi at them, and that would've been there, too, if we'd had it with us. And so there went about $50,000 in ammo. A waste if you ask me, but it's not my place to complain. Stuff like that, plus shwogging around rice paddies at three in the morning to round up VC in village sweeps with the platoon- aah, Vietnam. Not much else to report, I'm afraid- but I'm all right. Did you get that, Mom? __I am all right. __I promise. I hope to hear from you soon. The guys thank you for the cookies you sent me for Christmas- I shared them with the guys. I hope that was okay. _

_More news later._

_Your son_

_Patrick_

Finitevus lowered the letter after he finished reading it. Patrick really thought that highly of him? It felt…good, to be praised like that. It had been so long since anyone had gone out of their way to praise him. Some part of him felt honored, that Patrick wished his mother to know him. Finitevus wished he knew why he felt that way. Still, even though he doubted Mrs. O'Brien would believe her son, Finitevus decided that he would allow Patrick to photograph him if he asked. Perhaps Finitevus would even write her a letter himself, tell her what really happened…

"Hey, Fin! You're up and about!"

Finitevus turned when he heard Patrick's voice behind him.

Patrick walked, grinning, up to the bed. "What'cha doing?"

Finitevus looked at the letter in his hands, then up at Patrick. "Forgive me; I did not mean to pry. I came in just as Sam called you away; you were writing something when you were called, and I was curious."

"It's all right, Fin. Don't sweat it. I guess you know Mom's gonna know about you now. I hope you don't mind. She tells me to tell her everything that's going on, you know, battles, movements, any friends I make. I'm thinking of sending her a picture of you. You wouldn't mind, would you?"

"Not at all," said Finitevus, smiling. "Funnily enough, I pondered writing her a letter myself. She might believe you more if she heard directly from me."

"You'd do that?" Patrick chuckled.

"Of course. She might not believe you if you just told her I was from another world. Perhaps if she gets the photograph, and hears from me herself, it might go over better. One thing I've learned: you humans can be a highly skeptical people. The more concrete proof they have of something, the more they believe in it." said Finitevus. "It might be better if I explain this myself. After all, 'extraterrestrials' seem to be a touchy subject on this planet- one either believes in them, or they don't. Short of a personal visit from me, this might be best. After all, one doesn't befriend a _freak _every day."

Patrick gave a sheepish smile. "Oh, you heard Trigs call you that the other day, huh?"

Finitevus smirked. "You were both right outside the infirmary. Of course I did. I wasn't asleep all the time I was there."

"I suppose you also heard me tell him to shut the fuck up, too? I mean, he's one to talk- he wants weird, he should look in the mirror- I've never seen anybody who loves guns and shit like that more than that guy. He grins like the effin' Cheshire cat every time he shoots, you know. Scares the shit outta me. I hear he sleeps with his rifle under his mattress. Isn't that freaky? He _so_ has no right to call _you_ a freak, Fin. You look different from us; that's the only reason he treats you like that. The guy's a racist, too- he treats everybody who ain't white, Protestant, and Anglo-Saxon that way. His father's in the fuckin' Klan, for God's sake. And he likes to brag about that- can you believe it? You just haven't been with us long enough to hear him yet. Sam's scared to death of him. He scares all of us, truth be told. Just ignore him, Fin. Guy like that ain't worth your time. So- you want me to go bug Frank for his camera?"

"Yes- let me clean up a little, and we'll take the photograph. It seems that sort of prejudice exists here, as well. On my world, the Echidnas and the Dingoes have long antagonized each other. Indeed, the Dingoes aided in the near-extinction of my people." said Finitevus. "One wrong out of many I could have righted- if my plan hadn't been interfered with.'"

"And you were penalized for trying to put a stop to all that. Shame. Well, I'll be back, Fin." Patrick started toward the door, and then stopped in the doorway. "Say, Fin- you're not just kidding me about writing that letter, are you? Mom will really be curious about you when she gets my letter. She'll wanna know about the guy who saved her son's life."

"No, I kid you not. Perhaps she'll tell me more about this world. Such as, what life in your country is like. I'm curious as well," Finitevus replied.

"Great! Back in a minute!" Then Patrick was gone.

Left alone again, Finitevus went into the bathroom, took off his glasses, and began to scrub his face. A week in bed demanded a good scrub. He was content- he'd found a way to learn more about this mysterious new world. Perhaps Patrick's mother would have some information that would help him find a way back to Mobius- who knew. It was a stretch, but it was worth a try. Once his face was clean, he decided he wasn't clean enough just yet; he removed his cape, bandages, and Warp Rings, and went into a shower stall. Finitevus had never felt so refreshed in his life; he could almost feel the sweat and dirt melt off of his body, out of his snow-white fur.

Outside, he heard Patrick call: "I got the camera, Fin! I'm ready when you are!"

"I'm almost ready! Just let me dry off and get dressed!" Finitevus yelled back.

It took several minutes for Finitevus' soggy fur to dry completely, but it was worth it. Patrick had said that he and the others went weeks without bathing when they were out in the bush; Finitevus wondered how they could stand it. When he was dry at last, he dressed and left the shower area, reentering the sleeping area. Patrick, smiling, was already there, clutching a camera.

"All clean?" asked Patrick.

"Yes, and it feels wonderful. In this sort of heat, if I had my way, would bathe at least two or three times a day. I honestly don't see how you all can stand to go unwashed for so long."

"Well, Fin, there aren't any showers in the bush, but I'll tell ya, we wish there were." Patrick chuckled. "So, are you ready?"

"Yes. Where should I stand?" asked Finitevus.

"In that corner, right there. Yeah, that's it. It's good and bright, but there's no glare from the sun." Patrick said. He held up the camera. "Ready?"

Finitevus struck a pose, hoping he looked dignified, giving an enigmatic smile. "Ready when you are, Patrick."

"Okay, say 'cheese'!" There was a flash, and Patrick lowered the camera. 'Geez, man- you take good pictures! Mom's gonna love it. Thanks, man."

"Think nothing of it, Patrick," replied Finitevus.

"Fin, don't you have _anyone_ to write to? You're not really totally alone, are you?" asked Patrick, moving a little closer and looking sad. "Am I really the only friend you have here?"

"I am, in this world and in my own. Yes, you are, sad to say. I think it's safe to assume that most of your comrades neither like nor trust me. I know that some of them see me as a burden and as dead weight. But, as you know, I am alone and unprotected here, and-"

"You need us to keep you safe. I know. Well, don't worry about what the other guys say, Fin. I'm not the only one who calls himself your friend, trust me; I know you're a good guy deep down, under all that ice. Just give the other guys time; they'll see. Still, it _is_ sad, that you don't even have anyone back home to write to. I mean, sure, it would be hard to get a letter there, to say the least, but that's just sad. I dunno if I could stand being that alone. So, Dr. Finitevus, I just want you to know that I'm your friend, and I'll try to be there for you. No one should have to be totally alone in this, or any, world, Fin. You can count on me, buddy. Just remember that, okay?"

Then Patrick left to return Frank's camera, leaving Finitevus alone once again. The albino echidna smiled to himself; one of them had declared his loyalty to him; this was good. Yet… Finitevus couldn't help feeling warm inside when he thought about Patrick's words. It had been so long since Finitevus had had a real friend. He'd almost forgotten what it felt like. And who in the platoon was his other, secret supporter? He guessed he would find out in time.

Two days passed, and Finitevus was in the sleeping area again. He was sitting on the bed he'd been assigned and writing his letter to Mrs. O'Brien; Patrick had already sent out his own letter, and was getting his photo of Finitevus developed. The plan was changed; rather than Patrick sending the picture in his letter, Finitevus would send it with his own.

_To Mrs. Florence O'Brien, Springfield, Massachusetts, United States of America; written this the 25__th__ of January, 1968._

_Mrs. O'Brien: salutations. We have not met personally, but your son has told you of me. I am Dr. Finitevus, a native of planet Mobius and a friend of your son's. It is a pleasure to be able to correspond with you, madam. I thank your son for giving me permission to write to you. I assure you, firstly, that what you see in the enclosed photograph is my true appearance, and that what I am about to tell you is the truth. I am of a race called Mobian Echidnas; on my homeworld my people are nearly extinct. I will tell you how I came to your world in a bit. First, a bit about me myself. _

_I hail from the now-ruined Echidna city of Albion, where I once lived as a brilliant Chaos energy researcher. I am thirty-eight years of age, unmarried, and am the last of my family. The Mobian tyrant Dr. Eggman (real name, Dr. Robotnik) attacked my city with his Egg Fleet, comparable to your Air Force, and destroyed it. He also slaughtered 90% of my people. After that, I sought a way to purge my world of all that was corrupting it, to cleanse it and save it from itself; to this end, I attempted to revive an ancient Chaos demigod to help me. But people accused me of trying to destroy the world, not save it, and thus an Enchantress stripped me of my powers and banished me to Vietnam. I was alone here, until I met your son on the beach at Da Nang. We have become something of friends, I like to think, and we have saved each other's lives a few times since meeting. What he told you about the rocket strike and the VC trying to kill him is true. What is also true is that I am curious to know more about this new world. What is life like in your country? Are science and technology a priority in your culture, as they were in mine? I ask, because Patrick tells me that American culture and Vietnamese culture are worlds apart, figuratively speaking. I ask, because this world and all its countries are totally new to me, and like any newcomer to a new place, and I would like to know more about it, _

_Also, I wonder if you could help me. I am seeking a way to return to Mobius; would you, by any chance, know of a way I might do so? Without my powers I am unable to warp anywhere. Furthermore, without a Chaos Emerald to power up my Warp Rings (the golden, bracelet-like devices you see on my wrists) enough, I cannot warp at all. Perhaps you know of some sort of magical object or location with the power to warp between worlds? I am desperate to return home; my work of saving Mobius from itself is not finished. Any help you can give will be appreciated. _

_Once again, it was an honor to write to you, and if you can spare the time, a reply would be appreciated, as well. Furthermore, I wish you and your family well. Thank you for hearing me out. I remain, as always,_

_Dr. Finitevus_

_United States Air Force Base,_

_Da Nang, Vietnam _

Smiling with satisfaction, Finitevus put down his pen and folded the letter around the photograph (one of his best, he had to admit) and slipped it into the envelope Patrick had given him. After sealing it, Finitevus wrote Patrick's address on it (he still lived with his mother) and stood up, intending to send it out with the next batch of mail.

As he was heading out into the hall, he bumped into someone who was walking in. Looking up, Finitevus saw that it was Trigs. The bigoted soldier looked down at him with cruelty in his eyes and a smirk on his lips.

"Well, well- if it isn't the little alien freak," he sneered, walking into the room and forcing Finitevus back in.

"Excuse me," Finitevus said, ignoring the insult and trying to walk calmly past him.

"Hey!" Trigs moved to block him. "I didn't say you could leave yet."

"Leave me alone, Trigs. I have no conflict with you and no desire for one."

Once again Finitevus was blocked. "Maybe, but I got beef with you, freak." Now Trigs bent down and grabbed Finitevus by the clasps on his cape and hoisted him off his feet. Finitevus' letter dropped from his hands. Trigs stomped into the room and slammed Finitevus hard against the wall. "I ain't gonna take any shit from you, you hear? Acting all cold and stuck-up, like you're better than any of us. Your brain's half the size of mine, I'll bet. Who do you think you are, some kind of big shot? Listen up, you," Trigs growled in the albino echidna's face, "I know you're reliant on us for protection. We don't have to keep you with us. I for one think you're bad luck for our platoon, and first chance I get I'm gonna abandon you out in that jungle or shoot you myself if you don't learn your place!"

Finitevus was incensed. "'_Learn my place_'? Tell me, Trigs. You claim your brain is that much bigger than mine. Perhaps it is; I have never dissected a human before. But even if it is, is it really an intelligent mind that hates others solely on the basis of their appearance?"

Trigs let out a bellow and slammed Finitevus against the wall again, harder this time. Finitevus saw stars before his black-and-gold eyes, but stayed conscious.

"Hurt me all you wish, Trigs. But a man's intelligence isn't always measured by the size of his brain; it can also be measured by the narrowness of his mind." Finitevus hissed back angrily. "If your mind were any narrower, one couldn't even slip a piece of paper inside."

"You freaky, arrogant little piece of shit! You can't talk to _me_ like that!" Trigs raised a fist. "Looks like I'll have to teach you your place myself!"

Finitevus braced himself as Trigs' fist flew at his face, but he didn't flinch or close his eyes…

It never made impact; instead there was someone else there, holding Trigs' fist back like it was nothing.

"Leave him alone, Trigs." It was Meat, the muscular Marine Finitevus had seen in the infirmary when he'd first woke up after the rocket strike.

"Butt the hell out, Meat. This ain't your business!" Trigs snapped angrily.

"I won't. And the hell it isn't! I won't let you hurt Fin! He hasn't done anything to us, or to you! You just hate him 'cause he looks different! 'Cause he's not human! Look, Trigs- I've seen how you are toward other guys who look different. You beat 'em up when you think they haven't 'learned their place'! Well, what _is_ their place, Trigs? At your feet, your loyal slaves? Your punching bags?! I won't let you hurt anyone else just cuz they're different, Trigs! So let him go!" Meat yelled. He grabbed Trigs and yanked him back, forcing him to drop Finitevus. The albino echidna landed on the floor with a grunt. Meat, meantime, stood over Trigs. "Don't try to hurt him again, Trigs. I'm stronger than you, and you know it, and I won't be so gentle on you next time." He gave Trigs one last hard kick, and then turned to Finitevus. "You all right, Fin?" he asked, holding out a hand to help Finitevus to his feet.

"Yes. Thank you, Meat," Finitevus groaned, rubbing his back and his head.

Just then Patrick joined them. "What happened, you guys? Trigs! What the hell are you doing here? You don't sleep in this barracks!"

"I walked in on Trigs as he was going to punch Fin, and stopped him," Meat replied.

Patrick scowled at Trigs. "I figured you'd come after Fin sooner or later, you bastard. Get the hell out, and stay the hell away from Fin. This is the only warning you'll get."

Trigs got to his feet, and with a last scowl at Finitevus, left the room.

Finitevus smiled up at the men. "It seems you were right, Patrick. I do have more than one friend here after all."

"Yeah," said Meat. "You can't possibly be as cold as you act, not completely. Hey, is that your letter there on the floor?"

"Oh! Yes, it is! I'd almost forgotten it," Finitevus said. He moved to pick it up. "Patrick, this is the letter I told you I would write to your mother. I was going to send it with the mail, but Trigs ambushed me as I was leaving."

"You wrote it? You really wrote it?" Patrick took it. "Geez, you did! Awesome! You're in luck- they're sending out the mail today! Let's go mail this before it leaves!"

Smiling, Finitevus followed them out of the room.

"Didn't you have your knife with you, Fin? I told you to keep it with you, didn't I?" asked Patrick.

"I didn't think you meant all the time, even at the base. I thought you meant only in battle. But obviously I will have to carry it with me at all times now. I doubt Trigs will leave me completely alone. He doesn't frighten me, Patrick. But thank you for your concern, anyway."

"No problem, buddy," said Patrick. "That's what friends are for."

**And that's it for this chapter! Please read and review! No flames! See you next time!**


End file.
